DODGE CITY, Kan. – Five home runs and a total of 25 runs in 16 innings of play would spark the Cloud County Community College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep and four-game series sweep of Dodge City Community College with wins by scores of 12-9 and 13-9 at Cavalier Field in Dodge City, Kansas on Saturday, March 26th.
 
The second four-game series sweep of the year moves CCCC to 23-7 overall and 8-4 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference with seven of the eight conference wins coming in their past seven games. Dodge City has now dropped seven games in a row to fall to 14-12 overall and 5-7 in the KJCCC as Cloud County picks up their third conference sweep of an opponent in the past two years.
 
"We showed some resilience this weekend and had some big time performances in big moments" said head coach Eric Gilliland in a post-game interview. "Getting a series sweep in this league is not easy and especially against a quality opponent like Dodge City." "I'm extremely proud of our effort this weekend."
 
GAME ONE:
Cloud County would not wait long for the offense to get started as a leadoff walk from Ian Riley in the top of the first would be followed by a Garrett Redden two-run home run on a 2-2 pitch to break a scoreless tie two batters into the game. The T-Birds would then have their next three batters retired in order, but be able to work around a one-out walk in the bottom of the first to maintain their lead heading to the second where they would add two more runs on a Redden two-RBI single with two outs.
 
The 4-0 lead for CCCC would turn into a 5-0 advantage for Cloud County in the top of the third as a Kolden Howerton walk would come around to score later in the inning on a Ty Wevers two-out RBI single. Dodge City would have a response in the bottom of the third, however, taking advantage of two T-Bird errors and stringing together five hits which included a pair of home runs to put up five runs in the inning and tie things up at 5-5.
 
With the score once again even, Cloud County would reclaim the lead in the top of the fourth with three-straight base hits to start the inning with Tom Poole driving in both Riley and Redden to put CCCC back out in front by a 7-5 margin. The Conquistador offense would continue to carry over from the fourth into the fifth as another error along with a walk would spark a three-run inning that would knock T-Bird starter Jack Mount from the contest as Cloud County would suddenly face their first deficit of the day.
 
Scoring would be far from over however as Cloud County would manage to tie things back up at 9-9 in the top of the sixth by using a Poole leadoff double and Howerton one-out RBI single to pull within one before knotting things up on an Alexander Diaz RBI single to score Howerton. Dodge City would have a chance to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the sixth but strand a potential game-tying runner in scoring position in the bottom half of the inning to send things to the seventh where a Brock Wollin three-RBI bases-clearing double with two outs would put CCCC back out in front one final time. A one-out single and two-out hit batter would allow DCCC to bring the game-tying run to the plate, but a strikeout looking on the eighth pitch of the at-bat would end the game and give Cloud County a series victory.
 
A perfect three-for-three outing from Redden would include CCCC's only home run of the game and a game-high four RBIs as the sophomore would also score twice. Cloud County would outhit Dodge City 14-11 in the contest and draw nine walks as a 9-2 difference in free passes would play a big role in the outcome of the game.
 
Mount would take a no-decision after throwing 3.2 innings and allowing eight runs despite striking out six batters before turning things over to Aaron Hayes who would throw the final 3.1 innings and allow just one unearned run while striking out four. The victory for Hayes moved the Weatherford, Texas native to 3-1 overall on the year.
 
 
Game Two:
A late-inning come-from-behind victory in game two would not be necessary as Riley would set the tone with a solo home run on the first pitch of the game to start a first-inning that would see 10 batters come to the plate and five runs come across with Wevers hitting a two-out grand slam to break the game open early. Dodge City would match the leadoff home run with a solo shot of their own on the first pitch of the bottom of the first with two runs coming home to score on three hits in the inning to make it a 5-2 contest which is where things would stay heading to the top of the third.
 
CCCC's three-run lead would balloon to seven in the top of the third as a leadoff double from Tristan Tenorio and Conquistador error would bring home a run and put another runner in scoring position. After a Diaz single put runners on the corners, sophomore Adler Pierson would get ahold of the first pitch in his at-bat to blast a three-run home run to cap off the four-run inning and give the T-Birds their largest lead of the day.
 
Two runs would be answered back with in the bottom of the third by DCCC as the Conquistadors strung together three hits including a two-run home to get back within five at 9-4, but two stranded runners would keep the inning from becoming any more productive. Dodge City would then strand another two runners in the bottom of the fourth despite cutting further into the Cloud County lead by using a leadoff single, wild pitch, groundout, and fielding error to make it a 9-5 contest heading to the fifth where a Howerton two-run home run would push the lead back out to six at 11-5.
 
The Conquistadors would have another answer in the bottom of the fifth as a bunt single to lead off the inning would set up a two-run inning with the second run of the inning coming on an error that would keep DCCC within striking distance. Neither team would be able to find much offense in the sixth, sending things to the seventh where a Pierson triple and Riley RBI double would provide an insurance run for CCCC that would be erased in the bottom of the eighth on a leadoff triple for Dodge City that would come around to score on a sacrifice fly.
 
Holding a four-run lead and knowing that Dodge City nearly completed a seven-run comeback in the final inning of game two just a day prior, Cloud County would take no chances in the ninth as a leadoff home run from Karson Green would push the lead out to five before holding the Conquistadors to just a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning with a strikeout and two groundouts finishing off the four-game sweep.
 
11 hits and four walks would help offset 11 strikeouts and nine stranded runners from CCCC as the T-Birds would get multi-hit games from Riley (three), Howerton (two), Diaz (two), and Pierson (two). Of the 11 hits in the game, nine would go for extra bases which included five home runs from five different players to go along with four stolen bases and three hit batters.
 
Earning the win in relief would be Brady Stuewe to improve to 2-0 on the year after Haden Dow would last just 3.1 innings and allow five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Stuewe managed to throw 2.2 innings and strike out five while allowing just two runs (one earned) on two hits before seeing Cole Askew toss the final three innings to earn his first save of the year.
 
What's Next?
KJCCC West Division play is slated to continue on Thursday, March 31st as Cloud County will make a trip to El Dorado, Kansas to take on Butler Community College for a 1 PM doubleheader. Last season, Butler was one of only two teams to hand the T-Birds a series loss in conference play as the Grizzlies managed to take three of four games in the series which included a doubleheader sweep in El Dorado. This season, BCCC is 16-10 overall and 7-5 in the KJCCC after managing to split their series with Barton by winning a pair of games at home on Saturday afternoon.